Therapeutic Curriculum

We employ a UKCP registered Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist. Our school’s psychotherapist provides one-to-one Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy.

This service offers a range of Psychotherapeutic approaches based upon an individual assessment of each child they support, and the family settings. Our school’s psychotherapist has seven years’ experience of supporting children and young people with complex case-histories, who may have significant challenges when relating to others and who have been impacted by trauma. Creative media is used as a way to facilitate children to explore their individual experiences and view of the world, who might otherwise struggle to convey their experiences through words.

Psychotherapy is a mental health intervention that aims to support children or adults in making changes to their own lives. The focus of psychotherapy is on listening and understanding without making judgements in order to foster a deeper self-understanding within the client.

Psychotherapy offers a confidential space for individuals to freely and safely explore the parts of life that present the greatest challenges.

It can help with:

• Finding improved ways to cope
• Improving self-understanding and understanding of others
• Ways of coping with feelings of fear and anxiety
• Ways to recover from traumatic experiences and begin connecting with others again.
• Greater understanding of how your thoughts, feelings and actions relate with each other.
• Developing better communication and relating to others.

Sensory Integration is based on the theory that enhancing and modifying sensory input enables us to make adaptations to our responses. It then improves the ability to process sensations so that a child may engage better with learning, daily living skills and relationships.

It is a developmental approach, therefore, unless the basic sensory systems have been functioning correctly and stimulated appropriately in early life, there may be difficulty forming higher skills such as:

· Motor skills

· Social and Interaction skills

· Sense of self

· Academic skills

Our Sensory Integration room is used by our occupational therapist alongside our staff. Movement activities are carefully chosen for the child and moving equipment such as swings and climbing frames are used to help children to gain increased body awareness. Activities are chosen to help stimulate what is called an ‘adaptive response’, to help the child’s nervous system adapt to the difficulties they have in receiving incoming sensory input. The occupational therapist will advise on the experiences needed to help regulate to achieve and maintain the optimal zone of learning.

At Eslington School, we have welcoming, dedicated areas where we can offer play and creative therapies aimed to support pupils with their social communication skills, emotional and mental health needs.

‘Therapeutic play’ allows the child’s natural ability to express themselves and explore their feelings without the use of words, playing out scenarios (real or imagined) in a safe environment.

Staff at Eslington hold specialist training and/or experience to implement therapeutic interventions effectively.

Training includes Lego based therapy, ARTiculate, sensory therapy and Early Years specialisms.

Self-expression is enhanced through the use of role play, ‘dressing up’ and the use of a range of toys, puppets and sensory materials such as, sand, water, slime, Play-Doh, textiles, pastel/ chalk, ink, charcoal, crayon, modelling wire, papers, bubble wrap, plaster, paint, clay, mud kitchen and more. 

• Lego based therapy: Lego is a universally loved and highly motivating activity. It is a multi-sensory, visual construction toy with a clear structure. This evidence based therapeutic approach aims to enhance wellbeing and develop social skills such as making friends, positive communication, listening, sharing, sorting, problem solving, following rules, fine motor control and teamwork. It’s clear structure is suitable for all, however, “Instructions are very visual and logical with rules and roles which can be a strength for many on the autistic spectrum.” (Le Goff 2014)
• ARTiculate: The ARTiculate approach supports young people with a range of emotional and mental health needs through the medium of art and craft. Valuable expression is enabled and explored through the use of a range of art materials in an enjoyable way.

Nurture groups are in-school, teacher-led psychosocial interventions focused on supporting the social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH) of children. They are founded on evidence-based practices and offer a short-term, inclusive, targeted intervention that works in the long term. The Nurture Groups are run by staff who are qualified in ‘The Theory and Practice of Nurture Groups’ and follow the six principles of the Nurture Network:

1. Children’s learning is understood developmentally. 
2. The classroom/school offers a safe base. 
3. Nurture is important for the development of self-esteem. 
4. Language is understood as a vital means of communication. 
5. All behaviour is communication. 
6. Transitions are significant in the lives of children. 

The Nurture Group is a small group of pupils brought together to make a balanced and functional group. The Nurture Group continues the ethos of an already nurturing environment within Eslington School and provides inclusion for all children promoting PSHE provision. Therefore, the children are supported within The Nurture Groups to raise their emotional well-being, self-esteem and have a sense of belonging to the school community. We provide a structured routine, so the children feel safe and secure. 

Nurture Groups are carefully arranged to have the best of both classroom and a home environment. They are designed to be warm and welcoming in order to provide a consistent, predictable and safe place for children. Provision is of a high quality and link to curriculum activities, just as any classroom there are areas for sharing stories, circles times and for completing tasks, there is an additional area for hosting ‘snack’ where children are able to sit as a group to share a meal. Within the Nurture Groups there is also a quiet area for children to use for thinking time or for finding their own space. 

Forest School is a unique method of Outdoor Education that allows children to gain knowledge and awareness of their natural environment through exploration and investigation, which promotes the holistic development of a learner.

During our Forest School experiences, we aim to promote this child centred approach to all our children, enabling them to be independent, confident, self-motivated, resilient and creative learners. They will be offered inspirational and challenging outdoor learning opportunities that will allow them to make links and transfer skills to other areas of their learning.

Forest School skills and knowledge will be developed through the activities we offer our children, including; team building and cooperative games, nature crafting, and other creative and imaginative activities, using knots, shelter and den building, using tools, making fire and cooking on an open fire. Each Forest School session will embody our school ethos of respect, responsibility, relationships and resilience.